Liquid Flame
by Bookkittie
Summary: "You command the water, but fire lives in your heart." When S.H.E.I.L.D. brings Loki into custody, Agent Allea Church is one of the agents assigned to guard him. Loki escapes, but not before Allea unleashes her greatest fear, drawing unwanted attention to herself and causing the roles between the two to be promptly switched. Loki/OC Takes place during The Avengers.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**  
 ***Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in the Avengers, all characters except OCs are the property of Marvel Studios and Disney.***  
 **Rated T for cursing, violence, and possible gore.**  
 **Story will differ from Cannon, but the overall plotline is the same as The Avengers with the exception of subplots.  
Thank you for reading! I appreciate your time, enjoy the story :)**

* * *

 _For a moment, the only thing the little girl's mind could process was the screech of tires._

 _And then, there was nothing but silence, pain, and a ringing pitch in her ears._

 _A force gripped at the girl's chest, squeezing it, suffocating her as her blue eyes frantically scanned around her, taking everything in. Her brother, in his car seat, had his mouth open, the small veins on his youthful neck stretched and strained. Was he screaming? All she could hear was ringing. There was a pain in her head, but it barely registered as her blurred gaze shifted to look at her mother in the front seat. The woman, with features of incredible similarity to those of her daughter, was slamming her palms against the window, banging her elbows against it, throwing herself at it. But why? The girl couldn't remember until she saw what was outside the window._

 _Liquid swallowed the car, engulfing it hungrily. The little girl stared, wide-eyed, at the emptiness of the waters outside the car's windows. Gapping blackness, sweeping towards her to rip her away as it began to leak through the doors and into the car, wetting the girl's shoes and soaking her toes. As if a switch went off, she could hear again. Screams entangled with each other, bouncing around inside the cage of a car. A rawness scratched at her throat, air escaping her chest in a high-pitched wail. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe. The water—icy, cold, and unforgiving—swelled up to her knees. Something wet trickled down her cheek, something wild raged within her veins. Her hands shook, her chest hurt, her head throbbed, sticky liquid trailing down her hair from a small gash in her forehead._

 _The water kept clawing at her._

 _Something cracked._

 _The world erupted._

 _From the girl's mother's window, water burst into the car. Screams silenced. Chaos ceased. The only thing the girl recognized as she took her last breath was the cool, unforgiving engulfment of water. It slammed into her, forcing her back against her seat. Her eyes opened wide, flickering around the car. Her mother, still and unmoving in the front seat, hair floating around her like a crown. Her brother, writhing in his seat, eyes bulging._

 _Her, pulling against her seatbelt._

 _The water brushed against her, like a hand against her throat or a finger dragging along her cheek. The girl's chest wrenched, begging for release. Her muscles began to ache. Her vision was blurring again. She couldn't avoid breathing for much longer._

 _That was when she noticed the man._

 _He pulled himself through the front window, grasping at the girl. The only person in the car still moving. Unsnapping her seatbelt, he gathered her in his arms, and pushed himself back. With powerful legs, he kicked quickly, leading her towards the surface. The darkness of the water seemed to seep into her eyes as the surface neared. Her chest heaved. Her vision failed entirely._

 _The sound of water beating against her ears subsided with a splash and a gasp, and air filled her lungs._


	2. Chapter 1

Allea woke breathlessly to the sound of her alarm.

For a moment, the young woman allowed the alarm to continue its insistent beeping, her blue eyes staring blankly up at the ceiling above her as she reminded herself to breathe. Chest heaving in a deep breath, she paused to hold it in, and then released the breath with a sigh. Sitting up, she pressed the dismiss button on the alarm without bothering to look at it, the annoying pitch of its beeping dying immediately at the command.

Swinging her legs over the bedside, Allea made her way to the bathroom, grabbing a uniform out of the closet before entering. Peering into the mirror for a moment, she scanned the face that returned her gaze, glancing at the photo that perched on the counter. The likeness was beginning to grow uncanny, and Allea felt somewhat proud about that. There was certainly something pleasing about knowing she carried her mother's memory on.

And yet, at the same time, something eerie about it.

Turning from the mirror, Allea began her daily morning routine, thoughts still lingering on her mother. There were still a few years to go before Allea reached the age her mother had ended on, but already Allea could see they shared the same blue eyes, and the same features, save for the more oval face, more rounded cheeks, and slightly defined cheekbones which were given to her by her father. Frankly, it was like seeing a ghost sometimes.

Those were the times when she hated her similarity and reflection the most.

Finishing up, Allea turned on the faucet, watching the water eagerly leap down towards the drain. Pursing her lips, her hands darted forward, quickly splashing water on her face. With a shiver at the feel of the cold liquid against her skin, her right hand reached out, turning the faucet off as soon as it had been on, causing the flow of water to cease. Without another look at the faucet, she stepped out of the bathroom.

Moments later, as she finished folding her sleepwear, her intercom buzzed. Fingers dancing over it, Allea pressed it at the second buzz, accepting the call.

"Agent Chruch, I need you to come into the control room. Urgently." Eyebrow raising slightly, she recognized the voice with some surprise.

"Of course, Director Fury." Without another word, she switched the device off and made her way out of the room that accommodated her during her assignment on the helicarrier. Not bothering to get breakfast, she beelined to the control room, making her way inside with a short nod to other agents as she passed. Breakfast was simply a leisure she could deal with later. If she was being called in, she certainly had something more pressing to attend to.

"Agent Church." Greeted immediately as she entered the control room by a shorter man with a kind smile, she stopped immediately, turning her attention to him.

"Agent Coulson. Good to see you, sir."

"Director Fury had to attend to a situation, but he left me to give you your assignment." Handing the young woman a file, he gestured for her to scan it over. Allea moved to open it, brows furrowing as her eyes flickered through its contents. Taking her silence as an opening for him to elaborate, Coulson continued. "We took a prisoner into custody last night. Director Fury requested that you be posted as a guard for extra security." Smirking slightly, he added, "And Fury wishes you'll accommodate him nicely."

"'Loki of Asgard?'" Allea shifted her gaze to meet Coulson's. "The Loki of Asgard? Brother of Thor? The Trickster?"

"The one and only."

Gaze returning to the file, Allea rested her index finger on her lips, a subconscious habit she sometimes had when thinking. Loki of Asgard was certainly no common S.H.E.I.L.D. prisoner, not that any could be considered 'common.' But in regards to most, Loki was of the more dangerous category. And from that thought Allea couldn't help but wonder: why her? She was a good agent, yes, and recognized, but certainly not the best. "What is he doing here?"

Coulson smiled apologetically. "That's above your clearance level to know."

Regrouping her thoughts together, she removed her hand from her lips, nodding and handing the small file back. "Of course, sir, I apologize for prying."

"No need. I understand the curiosity." Taking the file, he turned towards the monitor behind him, gesturing towards where she was meant to go. "I trust you can make your way on your own?"

"Of course, sir."

"And no wondering off," Coulson spoke, tease laced in his tone. Allea returned the smile.

"You're not going to let that go, are you? Sir?"

Turning back around to face her, he pat the young woman's shoulder. "Not a chance, Church." Grinning, he added quietly, "How did you describe quarantine again? 'Dull…? Shameful…? Embarrassing…?'"

Taking some liberty, Allea nudged the superior agent in the arm. "Alright, enough."

"What? Can't handle that I told you so?"

"I have a job to get to," she reminded him lightly. Removing his hand from her shoulder, he nodded.

"Right. Good luck."

Backing away, she shrugged with a grin. "I don't believe in luck, sir."


	3. Chapter 2

The hallways grew emptier as Allea made her way to the holding room which contained Loki of Asgard, as if the other people aboard the helicarrier knew what was being restrained in that room and wanted to be far from it. Deep down, she couldn't find herself disagreeing with the notion of avoiding the room, and of avoiding him. She'd had her fair share of dealing with dangerous, deadly criminals, sure, even before working for S.H.E.I.L.D. But there was something inherently more perilous about Loki. He was clever, he had magic, and he was incredibly manipulative, from what Allea had heard and understood. Asgardians were not to be underestimated, especially this Asgardian, and even more so considering he had Jotunn blood in him.

Allea could already tell this assignment would undoubtedly be pushing her comfort level.

As she turned the last corner to the hall which led to the holding room, the young woman noted that Director Fury was already waiting for her outside the door. Making her strides wider to pick up the pace, she advanced with an air of duty hanging around her, despite the way her eyes betrayingly shone with the private thoughts and doubts she had about the situation.

Approaching the door to the holding room, the young woman nodded in greeting. "Director Fury."

"Agent Church." Fury stepped forward to meet her. "I trust Agent Coulson debriefed you?"

"Yes, sir." Allea halted her steps and shifted her weight, contemplating for a moment how much leeway the director would allow her before deciding to take a liberty. She felt she needed to know how much trust Fury had in her with this assignment, and from that information she could conclude what had driven him to give her such an important assignment that was, very clearly, a task that was unsuitable for most agents, whether mediocre, good, or great. Speaking somewhat out of turn, Allea clasped her wrist in front of her and stood in a respectful yet eased stance before carefully voicing her concerns. "With all due respect, sir, why did you assign me to this? Why not Barton or Romanoff? Surely they are more qualified…?"

Fury crossed his arms, eyeing the younger agent carefully. "I chose you because of your experience with prisoners, not to mention your skill set and your record. Every assignment you've been given you've completed with passing colors. There's no need to be humble, Church, you're one of our best. As for Romanoff and Barton, they have other matters to attend to." His hard gaze bore into hers, adding, "Are you doubting my judgement of you?"

"No," Allea responded quickly, "of course not sir. I was simply curious."

The tall man grunted. "Best to remember to keep your curiosity in check around him," he gestured to the holding room.

"Yes, sir."

Turning towards the door, Fury strode towards the keypad lock, his boots making soft thuds against the metal floor. Without another word, Allea trailed immediately behind, eyeing the keypad as he gave her the code in a hushed tone. "You'll remember that?" He asked, glancing back at her. Allea nodded, eyes trained on the keypad a moment longer to sear the memory of the numbers in her head before meeting the director's gaze.

"Yes, sir. Will there be another agent here with me?"

"Agent Brigham will be assisting you. You and he will be switching between monitoring in the camera room and monitoring inside the holding room."

The young woman's brows furrowed. "Inside, sir?"

"Loki is known for his illusions and tricks, as I'm sure you're aware." Stepping away from the keypad, Fury faced Allea directly, gaze boring into hers. "Someone will be watching him on the monitor at all times, but I also want someone watching him in person. If he tries to trick one of you, hopefully the other will catch it. And if the agent inside has an issue, we'll know immediately." Leaning forward slightly, he added, "I trust the cameras, but having someone physically inside serves as not just an extra pair of eyes, but a constant warning. I want someone in person to be watching him at all times."

A pause the length of a breath thickened in the hallway as Allea processed her orders. This

"Understood, sir."

"You and Brigham will switch off every two hours. Meals will be served to Loki at 9:00, 12:00, and 19:00 sharp. At 20:00 I or Coulson will alert you to take your leave, other agents will take your place during this time, and your shift will start again at 10:00, with Brigham starting inside and you starting in the monitor room. Other agents will switch on a different shift to guard the door. You're to avoid instituting conversations with the prisoner." Fury paused, his tone shifting to one coated exasperation and, perhaps, tease. "And Church, try to avoid responding to him. It only encourages him."

The tips of Allea's lips pulled upwards slightly, eyes twinkling with silent amusement. "I'll try, sir."

Humming thoughtfully, Fury eyed the young woman a moment more before striding past Allea and down the hall, his tall figure shrinking the further away he went. "Brigham is already in the monitor room; your first shift starts inside," he hesitated in his steps, throwing a look at her over his shoulder to add again, "Don't encourage him."

"Wouldn't dream of it, sir."

The tall man continued down the hallway, disappearing down another corridor seconds later. Heaving in a breath, Allea swallowed, considering how she was going to go about this as she spun around on her heel to face the door. Her blue gaze was the only thing that betrayed her reluctance to entering as she reached out to the keypad. Fingers flickering over the keypad like a brush of air, she stepped back slightly as the door clicked and slid open, welcoming her into its threshold.

With no further hesitation visible, the young agent stepped inside, the door slipping closed with a small thump behind her.

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 _Author's Note: I just wanted to take a moment and thank you all so for reading my story! I really appreciate the follows and favorites I've gotten, I wasn't expecting any so soon to be honest. Thank you so much! In the next chapter I'll finally be introducing Allea to Loki, so stay tuned :D ~Bookkittie_


	4. Chapter 3

The din of Allea's boots hitting the metal grated floor echoed in the otherwise soundless room as she entered, her blue eyes surveying her surroundings in one sweep. There was a gloom about the room, which lacked light and was made of steal walls with nothing of comfort inside. A control panel sat in the middle of the room, directly across from a walkway leading to a circular containment cell. Brightly lit in comparison to the rest of the room and paneled with clear glass, Allea could immediately spot the prisoner inside of the cell, sitting on the only protruding ledge against one of the cell's walls.

He was staring right at her.

Without much regard for what would be polite in any other situation, the young female agent allowed herself a moment to eye him over. She couldn't tell if he was tall, but he had an air about him that screamed authority and confidence… and perhaps also arrogance, which made him seem tall even when sitting down. His raven hair matched his black robes, lined with a green that seemed to pull out a similar shade in his otherwise blue eyes. His expression was unreadable, almost bored, as he also scanned her over for a moment before meeting Allea's gaze again with a stare that sought to look into her soul.

Allea broke eye contact first.

Turning away with a chill dancing on her skin, Allea continued her walk across the room to position herself near the control panel, glancing up at the camera in the upper right of the room where its eye trained on both the cell and control panel dutifully. Briefly, she moved her glance to Loki, noting how his eyes remained trained on her.

Unnerved, she looked away, focusing on a wall. That was what he wanted, to make her uncomfortable no doubt, yet Allea couldn't bring herself to ignore it. He was staring too intensely. Unusually intensely. Instinctively under his unwavering gaze, her hand moved up to her hip, brushing over the pistol and knife that were holstered there as a precaution. Out of the corner of her eyes, Allea could see Loki's expressionless mask shift, a smirk tugging at the ends of his lips, sending another involuntary shiver down her spine.

"Tell me, are you afraid?"

The silky, self-satisfied voice broke the silence like shattering glass, but Allea did not jump at the sound. The young woman spared only the slightest of glances at him before looking away again. He did not need nor deserve her attention, he was only trying to further unnerve her.

"Do I make you nervous?"

Allea ignored him this time, annoyance stirring in her stomach. It hadn't even been ten minutes and already he was poking at her, mocking her, acting like he had all the power in the current situation and she was nothing in comparison. But he couldn't hurt her, no matter how badly he wanted to. Not at the moment, at least. He was a caged beast, and there was nothing to fear from a caged beast other than the rumble of its growls.

Loki stood up from his perch, stepping soundlessly towards the glass wall of his cell that was nearest to the young agent. Considering her for a moment, a wide grin spread suddenly across his face, like a wolf bearing its teeth. "My, aren't you the talkative one."

The prisoner's words lingered in the air, but again they garnished no response. Yet, she was like anyone else. She could only ignore his pestering for a certain amount of time. He was visibly not bothered by the woman's lack of acknowledgement. She was listening.

"Come now. I know you're not deaf."

Allea could no longer restrain herself as her annoyance boiled over, curling up to her lips and lacing in her muttered words. "Right now, I wish I were."

"Ooh." The tall man, unfazed by her words, paced closer, looking at her as if he could see into her very mind. Analyzing her inner feelings and private thoughts, tearing away her authoritatively trained expression, stance, and words to reveal what was underneath. "So, I do make you nervous," he observed with clairvoyance, "…and you _know_ you can't hold me in here forever." Pressing his forearm against the glass, he gave her another baring smile of teeth. "Your _pathetic_ human technology, your _pathetic_ S.H.E.I.L.D. It's all a ploy." Leaning forward, face turning to a sneer, Loki snarled. "You're all nothing beneath me. I will kill all of you mercilessly, slowly, and gruesomely, and you will be pitifully _helpless_ against it, begging as I tear you apart _limb by limb_."

A sharp emotion curled in Allea's chest at his words, a cold feeling that sent yet another shudder through her veins and made her skin pale. Shock. Fear. For a brief moment, she stood, eyes shining with her inner emotions, chest rising and falling faster than normal, as she regathered herself. His threats were in vain, yet they seemed so real, he seemed so convinced by them. Even imprisoned, he acted as if he had all the cards. As if he knew something no one else did. Perhaps he did. The thought brought no comfort.

But for the moment, Allea reminded herself, he was in a cell on a helicarrier which was crawling with S.H.E.I.L.D. agents and a handful of people who had their own superhuman powers. He was entirely outnumbered, alone, and had no power but his tricks and silver tongue.

She was in charge. Not him.

He had no power over her except the power she allowed him.

Setting her jaw, the young agent turned to face Loki dead on, her face set with a stony look, the fear that had been in her eyes moments before now mostly shaded by another, crueler emotion. "If I hear you say _one more word_ , I'm make sure that your meals are cut to once a day instead of three, and that they're composed of nothing more than the bare minimum of bread and water for _the rest_ of your stay on this flying death boat. And you can forget about any leisures Fury might have offered you. No magazines, no books, _nothing_. I might even get you a muzzle. Sound accommodating?"

For a split second, the grin on his face widened.

Raising his hands in surrender and morphing his expression to one of bemused obedience, a smile barely kept restrained on his lips, he stepped back with a slow bow of his head in mock respect. Silence swallowed the room as Loki returned soundlessly to the seating ledge in his cell, lowering himself onto it like a king sitting on a throne. Shooting Allea a fleeting, pleasant smile that read 'are you happy now?' Breathing heavily out of her nose in lingering irritation, Allea turned her biting gaze away from the Asgardian, glaring emptily at a wall.

Time seemed to seep by slowly as the young agent and the fallen prince remained in the room together, neither moving from where they were positioned. Allea found herself constantly wishing for a book, or perhaps simply for the two hours to end already. But, at least, Loki had kept his mouth shut quite nicely.

Although he had yet to look away from her.

For the first thirty minutes or so, the shadow Allea felt under his gaze continued to unnerve her and irk her even after he'd stopped running his mouth. After thirty minutes, he'd begun to loosen his gaze, but not by much. Allea assumed he was staring pointedly to aggravate her, probably out of boredom. Lack of entertainment made her Loki's target as he sought something to do, and at the moment he seemed to very much enjoy making her nervous.

The sound of the door clicking and sliding open snapped the stillness in the room apart with an unexpected suddenness. At the sound, Allea couldn't help the relieved breath she released, nor the clear relax of tension in her muscles. Her two hours were up.

A thin, short man treaded into the room, dressed in a n identical uniform to Allea. The newcomer didn't bother to give Loki so much as a glance, nor did Loki glance at him. Rather, both focused their gazes on Allea, one expressionless, the other interested. The short man moved swiftly toward Allea, nodding to her in sharp greeting. "Church."

"Brigham."

The agents' voices were hushed as the two met each other at the control panel, the whisper in their tones rasping off the walls in the otherwise noiseless room. Brigham took his position next to the control panel without another word, and likewise Allea refrained from any further speech as she walked across the room to the door. Blue eyes trailed the female agent's steps eerily, the feeling of their gaze tickling the young woman's skin. Swallowing tightly, Allea approached the door, typing the code into the keypad with a hint of urgency. The click of the door unlocking boomed in the quietness of the room, followed by the door sliding open once again, the hallway outside yawning before the young agent.

Allea glanced back.

He was still looking at her.

Irritation pricked at her chest, banishing the feeling of uneasiness to the back of the Allea's mind. Setting her jaw and altering her own blue eyes away from his, Allea lifted her chin in a motion of vexed disdain, the only response the agent gave to Loki's consistent staring. She did not spare another look at the fallen prince of Asgard as she stepped eagerly out of the room, the door slipping closed behind her, and strode away to attend to the monitor.


	5. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note:** Thank you so, so much to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed this story! You give me motivation to continue to write and to improve myself. I am so incredibly thankful for your support. Much love to you all!_

 _ **Announcement:** I have decided upon a schedule! I realized that in order to give you deeper, longer content, I need more time to write and edit my work. My tentative schedule is that I intend to post every week on Mondays, unless my urges to write are crazy strong and I end up posting twice in the same week or something happens and I am unable to post on Monday. But, for the most part, Mondays are when you can expect updates unless I specify otherwise. :)_

 ** _And now to our featured presentation..._**

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Loki hadn't spoken a word.

Ever since Allea had sat down at the monitor which displayed the holding room, she could immediately see Loki's demeanor had changed. He appeared contently bored, shifting his position only every-so-often and occasionally standing to pace his cell. Only twice did he look at Brigham, and those were hardly glances. It was as if Brigham wasn't even in the room, or at least was too beneath Loki to be used as entertainment like Allea clearly had been.

It irked her that Loki had no interest in taunting Brigham, yet seemed compelled to do so with her.

Perhaps, she reflected, it was her own fault, in a way. She had been visibly shaken when she first entered the holding room, a sign of weakness that she normally could keep under control, yet for some reason could not while in his presence. The Asgardian would have noticed.

Aggravated further by the realization, Allea determined that she would have to do better hiding her emotions.

It was often not an issue for the young agent to mask her emotions. Being accustomed to interacting with prisoners was nothing new for her, although certainly it had been a while since her last assignment with one. As a former detective and prison guard, Allea had her fair share of being around people under high security, people who could not be called kind or safe to be around. She was accustomed to masking her face, keeping her feelings to herself.

So why was it so difficult when she was near Loki?

After some thought, she accredited the problem to one factor: Loki was… Loki. Allea had yet to encounter any being which she could not take on in hand-to-hand combat, she had yet to encounter any being which was not human, which could use unnatural and unhuman abilities to aid them in fighting. The fact that Loki was Asgardian—Jotunn—raised the level of danger for anyone who was be in when near him. If he escaped… Allea could be sure her chances of survival were close to zero.

He was also a very unnerving man, regardless of his abilities, as Allea had experienced first-hand.

Maybe, she contemplated further, it was that look he had. The look of a man who wanted nothing more than to see everyone crushed beneath his feet, and anyone who defied him of such a desire to have their heads on pikes.

Allea continued to think on the issue as two hours passed, melting together with no significant happenings in their duration that could decipher the two apart. Growing as bored as Loki appeared, the young woman was momentarily pleased to see the time had passed quickly, and began to stand from her seat. It was only then that she remembered the ending of her two hours at the monitor meant she would have to return to the holding room. Glancing back at the monitor, Allea checked the time again. The good news was, due to the lateness in which Loki had arrived on the helicarrier, she would be relieved for the end of her shift after the next two hours. The unfortunate part was that she still did, in fact, have two hours to spend with Loki, in person.

Setting her jaw, the agent turned and swiftly paced out of the room, shoulders hunched slightly from the tension she felt having to be confronted with a prisoner that took too much interest in her presence.

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As suspected, the moment the holding room doors opened and Allea entered the chamber, she became the center of attention.

Under Brigham's and Loki's gazes (and upon finding herself already weary of the few interactions she had with the two), the female agent grimly considered requesting a transfer to an assignment that did not require her to be noticed by people.

Even better, an assignment that did not require her to _be_ _with_ people.

Perhaps S.H.I.E.L.D. could send her to Antarctica.

"Ah, Agent Church. Welcome back." The young agent's heart leapt in her chest at the sound of her name, not spoken by her fellow agent. For a brief moment, her footsteps faltered. How did he know who she was? It took a mere few seconds for Allea to connect the dots, anger boiling in her gut as she quickly pieced information together. Loki had, apparently, heard the agents greet each other during the switch of their last shift. It was so obvious. She had been foolish to think whispers would prevent him from hearing what he desired to hear.

Despite her waver, Allea continued towards the control panel, giving Brigham a nod in greeting. The man looked flustered himself, also realizing that Loki had heard their names, as he swiftly retreated out of the holding room, leaving Allea alone with the man in the cell. Allea refused to turn her attention to the prisoner, instead watching Brigham as he exited, her gaze lingering on the door after the short agent had left.

"You faltered." Allea could not resist glancing at the prince, eyeing him as he leaned forward where he sat, his own gaze piercing hers, a smirk in his eyes. "You're not very good at hiding your feelings."

Hadn't she threatened him during her last shift to keep quiet?

"My previous statement still stands, Loki." The female crossed her arms, muscles clenching at her words. "I suggest you shut your mouth."

With mock confusion spread on his face, the man tweaked his head to one side, frowning slightly as he looked at her. "Which statement? That you wish you were deaf?"

Allea glowered. Loki grinned.

As quick as it had existed, the grin on Loki's face vanished. "You don't really think that… 'threat' scares me." Graced with a serious expression, Loki leaned his chin against the back of his hand, resting his elbow on his knee as he scanned the agent. "No, you're not that daft."

"What kind of muzzle would you like: leather or metal?"

Again, the grin appeared, a mix of silent amusement and a crazed snarl. "You can stop pretending, Agent Church." Standing suddenly, Loki strode slowly toward the glass, authority and confidence surrounding his every step. "I can see through your mask. There's no need to be afraid of showing me what I already know."

Allea's glare hardened. "And what's that?"

"You're frightened."

The agent's jaw clenched, but she gave no other response to the observation.

Loki didn't acknowledge the action, his outward appearance solemn. "You're right to be scared. There's no reason of being ashamed of it." He paused in his steps, inches away from the glass. "It is a natural reaction for your kind. A good one. It's what keeps you alive."

"Maybe you should be afraid, then, because if I had my way you wouldn't be alive for much longer."

"Ooh." Mocking amusement coated his face. "Fierce words, but they hold no depth."

"Do you want to test that theory?"

"If your precious S.H.E.I.L.D. wanted me dead," Loki remarked, "I would not be in this pitiful excuse for a prison."

Allea smirked. "I suppose you're right. You'd be about six feet under Earthen soil. Or maybe we'd send you back to where you came from instead; we're not too keen on keeping you, alive or dead, on our land."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong." The Asgardian retained his somber look, tinted with a look of sincerity and—perhaps—concern. "If your dear S.H.E.I.L.D. wanted me dead, you'd be unable to carry the desire out." Suddenly, a snarl appeared on Loki's lips as he jerked forward, hand slamming against the glass, an action which caused Allea's heart to skip a beat in surprise. "For I'd have already freed your head from your _miserable_ body in the most _painful_ way possible, and littered the floor with the blood of your _pathetic companions and superiors_!"

Shock swallowed Allea's reaction, shock and fear. She was not so much afraid of his threats, for they could not be carried through at the present moment, but rather she was afraid of the look of honesty in his eyes. The almost innocent _earnestness_ in his gaze, the venomous _determination_ in his voice… he believed every word he said. He _intended_ every word he said. And if given the chance, he would follow through with every word he said, for he—the god of lies—was being entirely honest.

That was what frightened her.

Loki grinned as he watched the agent's reaction, hungrily pleased by the pure emotions shining on her face and in her eyes. Paled, the young agent stepped back, her gaze not quite focused on Loki. The woman took a breath, regathering herself as much as she could despite the shaking in her hands. A beat passed in which the fear and surprise in her stature and expression claimed control, and Loki thought that perhaps the woman—this Agent 'Church'—would recoil or turn away to hide her face.

Instead, she simply stared for a beat more.

Then, like ice, the visible emotions melted away.

As was clearly a habit, Allea set her jaw, eyes alighting with a mix of her previous feelings of horror and a newfound one of utter anger. Swallowing tightly, her muscles bunched together, a sign of restraint. It took everything in her, woven with a greater immediate fear of Fury's wrath, for Allea not to press the button on the control panel that would send Loki's cell plummeting to the ground below.

Calming down, Allea reminded herself again: she was in charge, not him.

He could do nothing. He was powerless.

For now.

"It'd do you well to remember who has the authority here," the bite in her words was unmistakable. "It's unwise to threaten the person with the control to your collar." Proving her point, the agent waved her hand over the control panel. "It doesn't take much for a slip of the finger, it'd be a shame to watch you succumb to gravity and break your skull."

The tone in her voice said otherwise.

"Oh, but you don't have that power, do you?" Loki smirked. "You need permission for that."

Allea grit her teeth. "You want to test that theory?"

Loki gestured toward the panel. "By all means," he grinned, " _press it_."

Time seeped by in the silence of the battle of gazes which transpired between the two, neither moving nor speaking a word to shatter the stillness which had settled in the room. Every muscle in Allea's body yearned for her to press the button. But every ounce of logic that still dwelt in her despite her warring emotions screamed for her not to. It would mean not only the end of her career, but also the possibility of Loki escaping rather than dying.

It was the thought of allowing him to escape that caused the woman to pull her hand away from the panel.

Yet her irritation did not leave her, only growing upon noting how calm Loki was despite her threat, how his lips hid a smile, how his eyes lit with mirth. If only he wasn't so perceptive.

The look on his face almost made Allea reconsider pressing the button.

"Truly pathetic." Stepping back from the glass, he motioned his arms in a wide, presenting gesture. "But, is that not the natural state of your kind? It is another mere example of how your people yearn for a ruler. Deep down, you know it to be true. Your kind _requires_ a sovereign. I am simply striving to give you what you desire."

The young woman couldn't say she agreed. The only thing she desired at the moment was to punch Loki in the face.

An animalistic growl rose in the agent's throat. "Your arrogance is unbecoming, Loki," the agent snarled sharply, flaunting his name like a whip. "You should reign it in before it overshadows your psychotic charm."

He smiled, vividly amused by her response. "You think me charming?"

"I think you're an asshole. Not really synonymous, I'm afraid."

His smile grew into another of his satisfied grins, which Allea was growing weary of seeing. "You're quite the fiery one, aren't you?"

"Do you ever shut up?"

"Oh, but I _like_ this." Loki lowered himself onto the cot like a king on his throne, eyes twinkling and grin poised to intimidate. "I like seeing you squirm under my gaze, shake in your boots at every threat I make." The tension in the young woman's jaw sharpened, a movement which encouraged the Asgardian to continue. "It's entertaining."

The sound of her footsteps rang louder in the room than was natural, her pace quick and steps heavy as she strode closer to the glass. Loki remained seated, interest shining in his eyes as she advanced. A stony expression was chiseled into her face, muscles in her arms straining. With five wide, aggressive strides, Allea came to a stop before the glass door to the cell, crossing her arms, fingers digging into her own skin.

"Listen here, you little shi-"

"Church."

A low growl rumbled in the young woman's throat at the interruption. Reluctantly peeling her focus away from Loki, Allea met Brigham's gaze as he approached with an air of warning. Paying no acknowledgement to Loki, Brigham stopped at the control panel, gaze conveying what words would not.

She had overstepped her boundaries quite some time ago.

Lip curling, Allea glanced at Loki. The fallen prince wore a stoic expression once again, previous signs of taunt and amusement gone. Meeting her gaze, their blue gazes clashed for a moment, pushing and pulling against each other like water fighting against the stillness of ice.

" _Church._ "

The young woman stepped back. A beat later, her eyes averted from Loki's and she turned, back facing the man in the cell. Purposefully, Allea made her way to Brigham, who continued to refuse acknowledging Loki's presence. Shooting him a questioning look, Brigham shook his head. Her two hours were not up. Yet, they were to leave.

Allea was both relieved and pissed.

She had much more she wanted to say to the Asgardian.

Restraining herself, Allea beelined to the door, Brigham trailing close behind her. Another pair of agents would arrive to guard Loki until Brigham and Allea were required to return. Without casting another glance at Loki, Allea strode out of the chamber, aggression apparent with every step. Tense, she did not falter when the door slid closed behind her, nor when Brigham called her name again.

"Why did you call me out? My two hours weren't up yet."

"Fury's orders. Church, slow down."

A frown tugged at the woman's lips. "What for?"

"He didn't specify."

"He should have radioed me."

"He tried, you didn't notice?"

Allea picked up her pace, irritation prickling on her skin. No, she didn't notice. How could she, when the only thing she could coherently hear was Loki's taunts and the blood rushing through her veins, her pulse thudding in her head?

A hand suddenly caught her shoulder, halting her strides.

"Church."

The female agent whirled around. " _What_?"

The two agents stood in a breath of silence, Allea's outburst echoing in the hallway. Realization shaping on her face, the female agent visibly relaxed. "I'm sorry." Her tone coated with regret. "I'm not… I'm not thinking clearly."

"No, you're not." Brigham scanned the young woman, his aged gaze veiled with concern and offense. "You're letting him get into your head."

"I-I know."

"You should be better than that." A fire sparked in Allea's eyes at his words, causing Brigham to swiftly correct himself. "You _are_ better than that. I've seen you work before. This isn't you, you're acting like a bickering two-year-old."

Allea did not take insult to the observation, instead finding a new interest in the floor.

Another pause passed between them. "Maybe you should transfer." Immediately, Allea's gaze met Brigham's once again, surprise upon her face. Brigham rushed to explain himself. "It might be better to, you're not exactly doing well with this assignment…. Not that you aren't good at this, it's just… he gets into your head. Normally, you don't have that issue. With him, you do."

"No." Icy and final, Allea's words demanded recognition and refused rebuttal. "No, I'm fine. I can deal with him."

Brigham considered her for a moment. "You're sure?"

"Positive."

Another few seconds of silence brushed by. "You know we will have to report this to Fury."

"If he asks." Allea crossed her arms, weight shifting to one leg. "He only needs to know Loki strut around and threw threats, he doesn't need to know why or who to."

"Church…."

"Brigham, you know it's true. Clarification is only given when asked." A pleading look claimed her face. "Please, just this once. Loki won't provoke me again."

Another moment. Then, a sigh.

"Alright."

"Thank you."

Brigham grunted. "Don't let it get out of hand again. Don't let it _happen_ again."

Smirking slightly, Allea nodded. "Yes, _sir._ "

As the two rekindled their walk down the hall, Brigham snorted. "No wonder Loki's taken a liking to you, you're both unbearably sarcastic." In reply, Allea smirked, huffing a breath of disbelief and amusement.

"Perhaps, but at least I have class."

"…Uh-huh."

As the two rounded the corner, the door to the holding room falling out of sight and out of mind, Agent Church's fist met Brigham's shoulder lightly. But yet, even as a friendly banter ensued between Allea and her friend, the words Loki had spoken still rang in Allea's mind.

They would not be forgotten easily.


	6. NOTICE (not a chapter update)

**NOTICE:**

Firstly, I want to thank all of you for your reviews, favorites, and follows. I'm so grateful that people actually like what I write, you are the motivation and foundation to this story. Thank you so very much!

The primary reason for this notice is to apologize for not posting last Monday, as I had intended previously. Due to Christmas and some family affairs, I was unable to post last week and will unfortunately, _probably_ not be able to post until a week after Christmas (nothing's a guarantee for me, but most likely that will be the case). I apologize again for not having a chapter up for you all to read during the holidays, but I will have the next one up soon. Thank you so much for your support and understanding.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

~Bookkittie

(THIS NOTICE WILL BE TAKEN DOWN UPON THE POSTING OF THE NEXT CHAPTER)

* * *

 **A Teaser for Chapter 5:**

The explosion rocketed the helicarrier, sending Allea off the chair and onto the ground with a dull thud. Alarms blared overhead, an animal-like roar came from somewhere inside the helicarrier hull. Something was terribly wrong. Scrambling to her feet, Allea moved back to the monitor, staring at the screen with widened eyes.

Loki was exiting his cell, authoritative and arrogant as ever. Brigham was strewn to the side, no longer near the control panel, with another agent towering over him. An agent who did not look the least bet concerned as to the situation. An agent with unnatural blue eyes.

Allea's heart skipped a beat, and her hands clenched together tightly.

 _"Shit."_

She didn't linger at the monitor. Swirling around, the agent bolted to the door, sprinting out of the room and down the hall. Pressing two fingers to her earpiece, she switched it on. "Loki is escaping the detention cell. I repeat, Loki is escaping. Requesting backup." Someone else would have seen Loki escaping on the monitor, she knew, and would already be on their way to the holding room. But would that really help against him? Allea had a sickening feeling that whoever answered the distress call or tried to hinder Loki's escape in any way probably wouldn't last long. Brigham was most likely already dead, and she was no exception to the possibility.

The helicarrier shifted again suddenly, throwing the young woman off her feet. Her back slammed into the adjacent wall, ripping the air out of her chest. She wheezed, fighting to regain breath. A beat passed, leaving her huffing on the ground, and then air returned to her lungs with a gasp. Grunting in pain, she rolled over, attempting to get to her feet despite the awkward angle the craft was tilted at. She _had_ to get to the holding room, _now_.

Even if her chances of success against Loki were low, she had to try.

There was no way Allea was going to allow him to walk out of the craft without resistance.


End file.
